TEST BANK
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Ch. 1
The_ Nature and Tools of Research
MCQs
1. To be considered true research, a project must:
a. gather together a body of existing information and communicate it in a clear and concise way.
b. uncover obscure or esoteric information and bring it to the_ consideration of the_ broader
research community.
c. gather and interpret information in a systematic fashion so as to increase understanding of
some phenomenon.
d. produce definitive conclusions regarding the_ subject of study.
2. Which of the_ following examples illustrates research as it is described in your textbook?
a. Sally is writing a paper about the_ effects of the_ Harry Potter books on the_ reading habits of
fourth graders in the_ United States and United Kingdom. She goes to a research library to
find information to include in her paper.
b. Ian wants to know why the_ population of songbirds has declined in recent years in the_
Sutton Wilderness Area. He carefully collects soil and water samples, systematically surveys
the_ entire area for predators, and then sits down to make sense of his findings.
c. Leonard is starting a woodworking business and is not sure how to calculate the_ cost of his
labor so he can be both profitable and fair to the_ customers. He asks several established
business owners how they calculate labor changes.
d. Bill is doing a report on the_ sonnets of Shakespeare. He carefully reads a number of sonnets
and then carefully reads scholarly reviews of those same sonnets written by various
Shakespeare scholars. He synthesizes all of this information in his report.
3. Research is considered cyclical because:
a. the_ researcher articulates the_ goals of the_ project and then collects data to solve a
particular problem.
b. questions lead to data collection which leads to interpretations and then to new problems.
c. it has a number of steps that should be followed in order.
d. it is based on solving problems and subproblems in a systematic, unbiased way.
4. Cameron is conducting a study that addresses the_ differences in achievement scores between
schools that use block scheduling and schools that use a traditional scheduling format. He has
accessed average achievement scores for 1200 schools and now is comparing the_ two groups.
In which research step is Cameron engaged?
a. Recognize and identify a problem
b. Interpret the_ meaning of the_ data
c. Analyze the_ collected data
d. Develop a specific plan to address the_ problem
5. Which of the_ following is most likely a statement made by a qualitative researcher?
a. I would like to interview a few of the_ participants to understand their training.
b. I would like to give participants a test to determine their skill level.
c. I would like to use teacher ratings to see if the_ program worked.
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d. I would like to control which students get the_ training so we can compare groups of children
that did and did not get training.
6. Which of the_ following is most likely a statement made by a quantitative researcher?
a. Let’s follow the_ groups for the_ course of the_ project and take notes about their social
interactions and dialogues.
b. Let’s conduct some focus groups with college students about the_ types of cooperative
learning they have encountered in their schooling.
c. Let’s compare unit test scores of those who were placed in cooperative groups and those who
were not.
d. Let’s enroll in a course that uses cooperative groups and observe the_ nature of the_
instruction from a student perspective.
7. The_ philosophical assumption that objective scientific research can uncover true cause-and-
effect relationships in the_ world is known as:
a. empiricism
b. positivism
c. experimentation
d. realism
8. Qualitative researchers most commonly (but not exclusively) align with which of the_ following
philosophical approaches to research?
a. positivism
b. postpositivism
c. constructivism
d. empiricism
9. A specific mechanism or strategy the_ researcher uses to collect, manipulate, or interpret data is
known as a:
a. research tool.
b. research method.
c. statistical test.
d. theory.
10. Research methodology refers to:
a. the_ general approach the_ researcher takes to conducting a research project.
b. a specific device the_ researcher uses to collect data.
c. the_ specific theoretical basis of the_ research project.
d. the_ statistical tests to be employed in a research project.
11. The_ primary purpose of inferential statistics is to:
a. organize and summarize the_ data.
b. turn qualitative data into meaningful numbers that can be interpreted.
c. measure social and psychological phenomena in an unbiased way.
d. help the_ researcher draw conclusions from the_ data.
12. Kade has spent the_ past month carefully observing a group of third graders on the_ playground
during recess, taking note of how the_ students interact with one another. On the_ basis of these
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observations, Kade is drawing conclusions about the_ interaction styles of boys and girls. This is
an example of:
a. theory building.
b. deductive reasoning.
c. inductive reasoning.
d. the_ scientific method.
13. Kimberly knows that teenagers often do not make good decisions in areas where they have little
knowledge. She also knows that most teens have little knowledge about human sexuality.
Therefore, Kimberly believes that teens are likely to make poor decisions about sexual activity.
This is an example of:
a. inductive reasoning.
b. theory building.
c. problem solving.
d. deductive logic.
14. Having completed a series of studies for her dissertation, Marianela sits down to brainstorm about
possible explanations for her key findings. She can see a variety of ways in which all data work
together, and she prepares to write a final Ch. in which she presents those ideas. We would
most likely say Marianela is engaged in the_ process of:
a. science.
b. theory building.
c. constructivism.
d. deductive reasoning.
15. The_ primary reason to seek research articles published in academic journals, rather than those
posted by the_ author on the_ Internet, is that:
a. they have been carefully selected after an extensive review by experts.
b. they are more likely to follow the_ scientific method.
c. they tend to focus on the_ most important topics in the_ field.
d. they are more objective and show fewer pitfalls in human reasoning.
Essay Questions
16. Describe an example of the_ word research being used inappropriately. Be clear about how your
example deviates from the_ definition of research offered in the_ Ch. .
17. Graduate professors like to insist that the_ completion of thesis or dissertation research is not
merely an “academic exercise” or final hurdle to obtaining the_ desired degree. Explain at least
one personal benefit that the_ individual derives from completing a high- quality thesis or
dissertation. Then explain at least one societal benefit that follows from the_ individual’s
completion of a high-quality thesis or dissertation.
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1
,TEST BANK
Ch. 1
The_ Nature and Tools of Research
MCQs
1. To be considered true research, a project must:
a. gather together a body of existing information and communicate it in a clear and concise way.
b. uncover obscure or esoteric information and bring it to the_ consideration of the_ broader
research community.
c. gather and interpret information in a systematic fashion so as to increase understanding of
some phenomenon.
d. produce definitive conclusions regarding the_ subject of study.
2. Which of the_ following examples illustrates research as it is described in your textbook?
a. Sally is writing a paper about the_ effects of the_ Harry Potter books on the_ reading habits of
fourth graders in the_ United States and United Kingdom. She goes to a research library to
find information to include in her paper.
b. Ian wants to know why the_ population of songbirds has declined in recent years in the_
Sutton Wilderness Area. He carefully collects soil and water samples, systematically surveys
the_ entire area for predators, and then sits down to make sense of his findings.
c. Leonard is starting a woodworking business and is not sure how to calculate the_ cost of his
labor so he can be both profitable and fair to the_ customers. He asks several established
business owners how they calculate labor changes.
d. Bill is doing a report on the_ sonnets of Shakespeare. He carefully reads a number of sonnets
and then carefully reads scholarly reviews of those same sonnets written by various
Shakespeare scholars. He synthesizes all of this information in his report.
3. Research is considered cyclical because:
a. the_ researcher articulates the_ goals of the_ project and then collects data to solve a
particular problem.
b. questions lead to data collection which leads to interpretations and then to new problems.
c. it has a number of steps that should be followed in order.
d. it is based on solving problems and subproblems in a systematic, unbiased way.
4. Cameron is conducting a study that addresses the_ differences in achievement scores between
schools that use block scheduling and schools that use a traditional scheduling format. He has
accessed average achievement scores for 1200 schools and now is comparing the_ two groups.
In which research step is Cameron engaged?
a. Recognize and identify a problem
b. Interpret the_ meaning of the_ data
c. Analyze the_ collected data
d. Develop a specific plan to address the_ problem
5. Which of the_ following is most likely a statement made by a qualitative researcher?
a. I would like to interview a few of the_ participants to understand their training.
b. I would like to give participants a test to determine their skill level.
c. I would like to use teacher ratings to see if the_ program worked.
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,TEST BANK
d. I would like to control which students get the_ training so we can compare groups of children
that did and did not get training.
6. Which of the_ following is most likely a statement made by a quantitative researcher?
a. Let’s follow the_ groups for the_ course of the_ project and take notes about their social
interactions and dialogues.
b. Let’s conduct some focus groups with college students about the_ types of cooperative
learning they have encountered in their schooling.
c. Let’s compare unit test scores of those who were placed in cooperative groups and those who
were not.
d. Let’s enroll in a course that uses cooperative groups and observe the_ nature of the_
instruction from a student perspective.
7. The_ philosophical assumption that objective scientific research can uncover true cause-and-
effect relationships in the_ world is known as:
a. empiricism
b. positivism
c. experimentation
d. realism
8. Qualitative researchers most commonly (but not exclusively) align with which of the_ following
philosophical approaches to research?
a. positivism
b. postpositivism
c. constructivism
d. empiricism
9. A specific mechanism or strategy the_ researcher uses to collect, manipulate, or interpret data is
known as a:
a. research tool.
b. research method.
c. statistical test.
d. theory.
10. Research methodology refers to:
a. the_ general approach the_ researcher takes to conducting a research project.
b. a specific device the_ researcher uses to collect data.
c. the_ specific theoretical basis of the_ research project.
d. the_ statistical tests to be employed in a research project.
11. The_ primary purpose of inferential statistics is to:
a. organize and summarize the_ data.
b. turn qualitative data into meaningful numbers that can be interpreted.
c. measure social and psychological phenomena in an unbiased way.
d. help the_ researcher draw conclusions from the_ data.
12. Kade has spent the_ past month carefully observing a group of third graders on the_ playground
during recess, taking note of how the_ students interact with one another. On the_ basis of these
3
, TEST BANK
observations, Kade is drawing conclusions about the_ interaction styles of boys and girls. This is
an example of:
a. theory building.
b. deductive reasoning.
c. inductive reasoning.
d. the_ scientific method.
13. Kimberly knows that teenagers often do not make good decisions in areas where they have little
knowledge. She also knows that most teens have little knowledge about human sexuality.
Therefore, Kimberly believes that teens are likely to make poor decisions about sexual activity.
This is an example of:
a. inductive reasoning.
b. theory building.
c. problem solving.
d. deductive logic.
14. Having completed a series of studies for her dissertation, Marianela sits down to brainstorm about
possible explanations for her key findings. She can see a variety of ways in which all data work
together, and she prepares to write a final Ch. in which she presents those ideas. We would
most likely say Marianela is engaged in the_ process of:
a. science.
b. theory building.
c. constructivism.
d. deductive reasoning.
15. The_ primary reason to seek research articles published in academic journals, rather than those
posted by the_ author on the_ Internet, is that:
a. they have been carefully selected after an extensive review by experts.
b. they are more likely to follow the_ scientific method.
c. they tend to focus on the_ most important topics in the_ field.
d. they are more objective and show fewer pitfalls in human reasoning.
Essay Questions
16. Describe an example of the_ word research being used inappropriately. Be clear about how your
example deviates from the_ definition of research offered in the_ Ch. .
17. Graduate professors like to insist that the_ completion of thesis or dissertation research is not
merely an “academic exercise” or final hurdle to obtaining the_ desired degree. Explain at least
one personal benefit that the_ individual derives from completing a high- quality thesis or
dissertation. Then explain at least one societal benefit that follows from the_ individual’s
completion of a high-quality thesis or dissertation.
4
